Birth Of A Record (1955)

Holborn, London.



Low angle shot of a street sign which reads: "Denmark Street" - Borough of Holborn. Various shots of pieces of sheet music in the windows of shops in what the narrator describes as "London's Tin Pan Alley." The sheet music includes that for "Please Opportunity" by Norman Wisdom - others are mostly unrecognisable.



Interior of an office. Ruby Murray and Ronnie Harris are choosing songs to record. C/U of Ronnie as he looks at a piece of music, he nods his head in approval. They are in the office of "hit publishers" Jimmy and Bill Phillips. C/U of Jimmy or Bill then of the pianist (Les Paul) who begins to play a tune. Ronnie begins singing. Shots of Ronnie singing as he sits in the office are intercut with shots of the pianist, the publishers and Ruby who obviously approves. Ronnie stands beside the pianist and sings. The song is "I Wonder".



There is some discussion between the publisher and Ruby then she has a go at a new song. Ruby sings "Bambino" holding the sheet music up in front of her. Suddenly we are transported to the recording studio where Ruby is still singing the song but this time with the backing of an orchestra rather than just a piano. (E.M.I. studios in St. John's Wood) She is also in different clothes. Shots of Ruby singing are intercut with views of the sound engineers regulating their instruments - it all looks rather primitive. High angle shows the conductor with Ruby in the background. Another view of the conductor. What a nice song! Ends with the conductor giving the thumbs up sign to Ruby and Ruby looking very pleased with herself.



Note: unusual for Colour Pictorial items of the time, there is some synchronised sound in this item. Not just the singing sections but also in between. According to the press releases from Columbia Records on file Ruby was known as the "Heartbeat Girl" and Ronnie the "Singing Window Cleaner". Bill Phillips' company was called Macmelodies Ltd or Leeds Music Ltd. We don't think this Les Paul is the American Jazz guitarist of the same name.
FILM ID:29.16

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